Quote from: paul_e on December 09, 2019, 04:58:18 PMQuote from: brontebilly on December 09, 2019, 04:46:32 PMQuote from: Oscar Arce on December 09, 2019, 04:33:46 PMWe're never going to win a game conceding 26 shots at goal.Sometimes our midfield looks empty, and the defence worries me with a mish mash of zonal and man marking, which is a pet hate of mine.Mings, who likes to be spare from corners and free kicks, alarmingly does not attack the ball, which surely he is supposed to do.Next five will decide if we're in a shitfight until the end of the season or can look towards the sunny uplands of mid-table.Personally, I would change it a bit to three at the back, we have a good lefty (Hause), a good spare (Mings) and a good righty (Engels), allowing our full backs Guilbert and Targett to use the width and make us more solid when we don't have the ball.It would also allow us to play two up top, I doubt very much this will happen.Sky have an article today that refers mainly to Arsenal but does making passing reference that only Norwich and us allow more shots on goal than Arsenal. We urgently need to change tactically to stop that continuing, otherwise we will be going down with Norwich. Arsenal at least have the forwards to keep them out of trouble, we don't.I'm not usually a fan of three at the back but it could be worth trying at Sheff Utd to match them. Depending on how fit Mings is I guess, as Konsa urgently needs to come out I think. Alternatively, Hause to come in at left back to improve the balance of the defence physically with Targett dropping out. No matter what combination we try in midfield we still look too open. Just think Hause's presence can help us a lot at set piece time alone.All of this is why all the focus on blaming Wesley and calling for a replacement in January is ignoring the real problem. As I said earlier, we need to hold onto the ball better and not let clubs have 10-15minute spells where they get 7-8 attempts in and we barely cross halfway.Part of holding the ball better is to have a functioning number 9, I know it’s not just down to him. The overall pattern of play seems to allow opposing teams to get at our back 4 very easily.
Quote from: brontebilly on December 09, 2019, 04:46:32 PMQuote from: Oscar Arce on December 09, 2019, 04:33:46 PMWe're never going to win a game conceding 26 shots at goal.Sometimes our midfield looks empty, and the defence worries me with a mish mash of zonal and man marking, which is a pet hate of mine.Mings, who likes to be spare from corners and free kicks, alarmingly does not attack the ball, which surely he is supposed to do.Next five will decide if we're in a shitfight until the end of the season or can look towards the sunny uplands of mid-table.Personally, I would change it a bit to three at the back, we have a good lefty (Hause), a good spare (Mings) and a good righty (Engels), allowing our full backs Guilbert and Targett to use the width and make us more solid when we don't have the ball.It would also allow us to play two up top, I doubt very much this will happen.Sky have an article today that refers mainly to Arsenal but does making passing reference that only Norwich and us allow more shots on goal than Arsenal. We urgently need to change tactically to stop that continuing, otherwise we will be going down with Norwich. Arsenal at least have the forwards to keep them out of trouble, we don't.I'm not usually a fan of three at the back but it could be worth trying at Sheff Utd to match them. Depending on how fit Mings is I guess, as Konsa urgently needs to come out I think. Alternatively, Hause to come in at left back to improve the balance of the defence physically with Targett dropping out. No matter what combination we try in midfield we still look too open. Just think Hause's presence can help us a lot at set piece time alone.All of this is why all the focus on blaming Wesley and calling for a replacement in January is ignoring the real problem. As I said earlier, we need to hold onto the ball better and not let clubs have 10-15minute spells where they get 7-8 attempts in and we barely cross halfway.
Quote from: Oscar Arce on December 09, 2019, 04:33:46 PMWe're never going to win a game conceding 26 shots at goal.Sometimes our midfield looks empty, and the defence worries me with a mish mash of zonal and man marking, which is a pet hate of mine.Mings, who likes to be spare from corners and free kicks, alarmingly does not attack the ball, which surely he is supposed to do.Next five will decide if we're in a shitfight until the end of the season or can look towards the sunny uplands of mid-table.Personally, I would change it a bit to three at the back, we have a good lefty (Hause), a good spare (Mings) and a good righty (Engels), allowing our full backs Guilbert and Targett to use the width and make us more solid when we don't have the ball.It would also allow us to play two up top, I doubt very much this will happen.Sky have an article today that refers mainly to Arsenal but does making passing reference that only Norwich and us allow more shots on goal than Arsenal. We urgently need to change tactically to stop that continuing, otherwise we will be going down with Norwich. Arsenal at least have the forwards to keep them out of trouble, we don't.I'm not usually a fan of three at the back but it could be worth trying at Sheff Utd to match them. Depending on how fit Mings is I guess, as Konsa urgently needs to come out I think. Alternatively, Hause to come in at left back to improve the balance of the defence physically with Targett dropping out. No matter what combination we try in midfield we still look too open. Just think Hause's presence can help us a lot at set piece time alone.
We're never going to win a game conceding 26 shots at goal.Sometimes our midfield looks empty, and the defence worries me with a mish mash of zonal and man marking, which is a pet hate of mine.Mings, who likes to be spare from corners and free kicks, alarmingly does not attack the ball, which surely he is supposed to do.Next five will decide if we're in a shitfight until the end of the season or can look towards the sunny uplands of mid-table.Personally, I would change it a bit to three at the back, we have a good lefty (Hause), a good spare (Mings) and a good righty (Engels), allowing our full backs Guilbert and Targett to use the width and make us more solid when we don't have the ball.It would also allow us to play two up top, I doubt very much this will happen.
Leicester's midfield diamond ripped us to shreds by flooding the midfield, Iheanacho dropping off and the full backs pushing up to totally overwhelm our quite static three in the middle and the slightly muddled up positioning of the wingers and full backs. We have the personnel to play a similar system, Jack naturally in the number ten position, Nakamba holding and Doug and Conor the link (John really needs a break right now). We'd need to bring back Fred obviously, and I'd like to see Trez in the second striker role with either Wes or Davis, who at least deserves a go in that pure holding up role with another forward there to relieve him off the sole goalscoring burden.
Last 10 games. Whqt more would you reasonably expect us to have won? free image hosts
Yes, the so-called "free hits" are proving anything but. We need to improve our record against the moneyed elite, especially with most of them at Villa Park in the second half of the season. I'll be annoyed if wr don't pick up any points from very average looking Arsenal and Tottenham sides, and we are due a win against Man U... it'll be a decade on Thursday.
Talking to a few Evertonian mates over the last few days and I asked what the difference was against Chelsea …... they all mentioned the word passion - new manager bounce maybe, but Ferguson had them up for the game. This is what I expect from Smith, especially this weekend when they will be up against a team ready to battle …… having said that if we are already showing signs of fatigue I think we will be found out even more in the coming weeks - fitter teams will just be able to pick us off.Looking at 3 poorer/weaker teams than us right now is proving evermore difficult ….. sort it out Villa
While our current run is depressing, I’m filled with rage about all of the dropped points earlier in the season. There are so many examples, the Arsenal game being especially aggravating. I’d hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite us, and of course here we are.